The present invention relates generally to a package for medical containers and, more particularly, to an anti-static container/package for receiving and storing medical containers.
Sterile filling of medicament into sterile medical containers is generally automated and conducted in a sterile or aseptic facility, such as a clean room, in order to minimize the possibility of medicament contamination. Open, empty medical containers are typically sterilized and placed into sealed sterile packages, such as boxes or tubs, by a manufacturer prior to shipping to a filling destination. The tubs support the medical containers therein in a secure and orderly manner, such that upon arrival at the filling destination, robots or other machines can perform an automated sterile filling procedure. For example, the robots or machines re-sterilize the exterior of the shipped tubs prior to entry into the filling room, transport the sterilized tubs into the room, open the sealed tubs, remove any protective contents from the tubs, remove the containers from the tubs and fill the containers with the necessary medicament.
Throughout the filling process, the medical containers must remain sterile prior to the introduction of sterile medicament therein, such that the introduced medicament does not become contaminated. Thus, typically, a protective slip sheet is placed atop the open ends of the medical containers within the tubs, in order to protect the containers from loose particles that may fall into the medical containers during opening of the tubs. Otherwise, contaminating the containers with the particles ultimately contaminates the medicament filled therein. The protective slip sheets also shield the underlying medical containers from potentially hazardous radiation, such as, for example, electron beam radiation within a filling room.
One drawback of the tubs, however, is that movement of the contents therein during shipping can create a static charge within the tub. Such a static charge may attract particles during the automated removal of the cover sheet, increasing the likelihood of medical container contamination. Such a static charge may also cause the protective sheet to stick to, and be removed with, the cover sheet during automated removal of the cover sheet. Thereafter, when a robot or machine, configured to remove the protective slip sheet, does not find the sheet in the tub as expected, the automated system shuts down or malfunctions, delaying the filling process and requiring human intervention. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to ship the medical containers in a tub that generally does not create, or at least dissipates, a static charge which may build up in the package, thereby alleviating or at least minimizing the problems associated with a static charge.